Elastic foot grip for shoes



Sept. 4, 1956 v c. c. LO PRESTI 2,761,225

- ELASTIC FOOT GRIP FOR SHOES Filed Oct. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (i2WIIWIA VIIIIIIII v INVENTOR. 3?? 5' GZarkd CZaPr-eaff A T 1' ORNEY Sept.4, 1956 c. c. LO PREsTI 2,761,225

ELASTIC FOOT GRIP FOR SHOES Filed Oct. 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR. Char-Z526 C .Zafri 21 .ATT NEY United States Patent ELA'STIC FOOTGRIP F OR SHOES Charles C. Lo Presti, Astoria, N. Y., assignor to UnitedStates Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New JerseyApplication October 22, 1954, Serial No. 463,865

Claims. (Cl. 36'58.5)

This invention relates to the combination of a shoe and an elasticinsole cover for retaining the shoe on the foot. The invention alsorelates to the elastic cover and the method of incorporating it in theshoe.

The invention is particularly applicable to shoes having a vamp, an openback without straps, and a high heel. In shoes of that type, thepressure exerted on the foot between the vamp and the sole of the shoeis relied upon to hold the shoe on the foot when it is suspended.

It is an object of this invention to effectively retain shoes of theabove type on the foot by constructing an elastic covering for theinside or upper surface of the sole or insole of the shoe which isadapted to be attached to the periphery of such surface, but suspendedout of contact within such periphery in the shank portion of the sole.Such elastic covering is depressed upon the insertion of the foot intothe shoe and is stretched so as to exert resilient gripping pressure onthe foot between the vamp and the elastic covering.

Another object of this invention is to provide downwardly extending sidepanels on the elastic covering in the shank area so as to conceal thespace between the suspended portion of the elastic covering and theunderneath portion of the shank, and thereby improve the appearance ofthe shoe.

The invention and its foregoing objects and advantages of the inventionare further described in reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the completed shoe embodying thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the shank of the shoe taken online 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an elastic insole covering to be combined withan insole structural member and built into the shoe as a compositeinsole;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the insole covering taken on line44,of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an insole structural layer;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the shoe illustrated in Fig. l, butfurther showing the insole and a portion of the upper in cross section;and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are side elevational views of a last, and longitudinalcross sectional views of the elastic insole covering shown in Fig. 3 andthe structural insole layer shown in Fig. 5 illustrating the method ofassembling the composite insole into the improved shoe.

Referring to Fig. 1, the shoe 10 comprises a composite insole 11 overwhich a vamp 12, comprising the forward portion of the upper, is lasted,and to which is atlixed the tread member, comprising a built-up heel andplatform sole member 13. The composite insole 11 is shown in thetransverse and longitudinal cross sections of the shoe 10 in Figs. 2 and6, respectively, and the parts thereof, comprisingthe elastic covering11a and the relatively stiif structural layer 11b, are shownrespectively in the plan views of Figs. 3 and 5. The elastic coveringcomprises an inner elastic layer of sheet material 14, and an rce outerelastic layer of material 15 between which is sand- Wiched an elasticcushioning layer 16. The inner and outer elastic layers 14 and 15 arepreferably made of one way stretch woven elastic textile fabric, inwhich the stretch extends from the heel to toe direction. The cushioninglayer is preferably made of sponge rubber,

and if desired the inner layer 14 of elastic fabric may be practice.

The elastic insole covering 11a, as shown in Fig. 3, is in its relaxedor unstretched condition, but when it is built into the shoe 10, it isstretched in the heel to toe direction and the area covered by the innerelastic layer 14 assumes the shape of an insole of the normal length,and it is retained in the stretched condition by the relatively stiffinelastic insole structural layer 11b having the shape of the normalinsole. The structural layer 11b is preferably made of split leather,and is provided with a marginal guide line 18 for the purpose offacilitating the operation of assembling the elastic insole cover 11a onthe structural member. The elastic insole 11a and the structural member11b are assembled together as will be here inafter explained, and whenthese parts are so assembled, the outer edge 19 of the outer layer 15 ofthe insole is folded over the member 11b until it matches with the guideline 18, and the perimeter of the folded over elastic cover is adheredthroughout its length to the structural layer 11b.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the elastic insole cover 11a is stretchedacross the shank 20 and ball portion 21 of the shoe between the forwardpoint 22 of the heel seat 23 and a point 24 at the toe of the shoe. Asshown in Figs. 2 and 6, a hollow space 25 is formed between the insolecover 11a and the top inside surface of the sole provided by the insolestructural layer 11b when the insole cover is so stretched, and the shoeis not filled by the foot. The sides of the air space or pocket 25 areenclosed by side panels 26 and 27, which are formed by the crescentshaped areas 28 and 29 of the outer elastic layer 15 bounded by theouter edge 30 of the inner elastic layer 14 and the dot and dash lines31 and 3 2, which latter represent the inner edges 31 and 32 of theturned in margin 33 of the outer elastic layer 15 bordering on thecrescent shaped areas 28 and 29. Such areas are so designed that theywill form the side panels 26 and 27 free from wrinkles, and so that thetop surface of the insole will be substantially flat as shown in Fig. 2.The guide line 18 on the structural layer 111) is particularly usefulfor locating the outer edge 19 of the outer elastic member 15 oppositethe areas 28 and 29 so as to produce the above effect.

The elastic insole cover 11a and the structural layer llb are assembledin the shoe as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, which show the severalsteps of assembly. In assembling these members, the front edges 34 ofthe structural layer 111; and the inside elastic layer 14 of the insolecover 11a are placed opposite each other, with the heel portion of thestructural layer extending towards the heel portion of the insole cover11a. The outer elastic layer 15 of the insole is then placed on thebottom of a.

aligned with the front edge, of the toe 3.6 of the last 35. A tack 37 isdriven through the structural layer 11b and insole cover 11a into thelast 35 near the front edge 34! of such members. The rearwardlyextending elastic insole cover 11:: is then stretched until the rear end38 of its inside elastic layer 14 is placed opposite the rear end 39 ofthe structural layer 11b, which determines the size of the stretchedelastic insole cover llla when it is assembled in the shoe. The ends 38and 39 of the respective members are then held in that position andtacked to the heel 40 of the last with a tack 41, as shown in Fig. 3. inthat position the elastic insole cover 11a is stretched in a straightline between the forward end 42 of the shank of the last and the tack41. The insole structural member 11b curves upwardly between such points42 and 41. As shown in Fig. 9 the upwardly curved portion 43 of thestructural member 111) and the straight bridging portion 44 of elasticinsole 11 is caused to conform to the bottom contour of the shank andheel by pressing the structural member 11b downwardly and drivingadditional tacks 45 through the member 1112 and insole cover 11a intothe last 35, as shown in Fig. 9. The outer margin 33 of the outerelastic layer 15 of the insole cover llla is now turned over the outermarginal edges 46 of the insole structural member 1111 so that the outeredge 19 of the outer elastic layer 15 is positioned on the guide line 18of the member 1115, and such edges 33 are cemented to the margin 46 ofthe structural member illlb in any conventional manner. In cementing themarginal edge 33 to the structural mernber 11b, it is important that nocement be applied to the areas 28 and 29, andv such areas should bulgeoutwardly from the outer edge of the layer 1117 when the edge 33 iscemented throughout its length to' the margin 46 of such layer 1112.When the insole cover 11a and structural member Ill) are thus assembledon the last 35 sufficient free uncemented material will be available inthe crescent shape areas 28 and 29 to form the side panels 26 and 27 ofthe air pocket 25, as shown in Fig. 2, when the last 35 is removed fromthe shoe, and the elastic insole is allowed to assume the position shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

As shown in Fig. 9, the insole 11 is now ready toreceive the vamp 12,which is lasted over the composite insole 11 in the conventional manner.The forward tack 37 is not now required, as the lasted vamp 12' willhold the stretched insole in place. Therefore the tack 37 is pulled outof the insole to facilitate the removal of the last 35 from the shoe itafter the built-up heel and sole member has been applied. The built-upheel and outsole member 13 is then placed over the bottom of the lastedshoe and cemented thereto in the usual manner. After the cement has beendried, the last 35 is removed from the shoe by pulling the heel of theshoe away from the last 35, in which movement the heads of the tacks 41and 45 are pulled through the structural layer 11b and the elasticinsole cover 1101, and the points of the tacks are left in the last. Thetoe portion of the shoe is then pushed forwardly and removed from thelast 35.

Where the shoe 10 is constructed as above described the insole cover 11ais attached to the shoe only where the margin 33 of the outer layer isturned over and adhered to the outer margin 46 of the structural layer111). The bottom surface 47 of the inner elastic layer 14 is not adheredto the opposite or upper side 48 of the structural member 11/), and itis adapted to be pulled away from such side. The elastic insole cover11a being stretched in the heel to toe direction around the margin ofthe structural member 11b, the top surface of the insole cover 11a tendsto assume the position of a plane extending from the rear of the heelseat 23 to the forward edge 34 of the built-in insole. However, the-topsurface of the insole cover 11a may be restrained from assuming suchposition in the toe area of the shoe by pulling this area downwardly asa result of stretching the insole transversely in such area and notallowing suflicicnt material abovethe structural member 11b. This resultis achieved as shown in Fig. l, and the top surface of the insole cover11a extends substantially in a plane from a point 24 in rear of theextreme end 34 of the sole of the shoe to the rear of the heel seat, assuch heel seat lies generally in a plane extending from the point 24 tothe rear of the heel seat. In some instances it may be desirable tocement the bottom surface 47 of the insole cover ila to the area of thestructural layer 11b below the heel seat 23 and below the forward toeportion of the shoe, in order to increase the elastic resistance of theinsole cover 11th to depression in the area between the forward point 22of the heel seat and the point 24 in the toe, when the foot is forcedagainst the top surface of the insole cover 11a at the shank portion 20of the sole.

When the shoe 10 is off the foot, there is insufficient space betweenthe top surface of the insole cover 11a and the top of the vamp 12 toreceive the foot of the wearer. When the shoe is placed on the foot, thetop surface of the elastic insole cover 11:: is stretched downwardlyover the area of the pocket 25 to permit the entry of the foot into theshoe 10. In the event the foot, with the shoe 10, thereon is suspended,the stretched elastic insole cover forces the top of the vamp 12downwardly upon the instep of the foot with a comfortable pressure, butsufficient to securely hold the shoe in place. In the event the weightof the body of the wearer is exerted on the top surface of the insolecover 11a,.it isfurther stretched downwardly, and the pressure of thevamp 12 against the instep is relieved to some extent, but the holdingpower of the shoe is increased by the downward pressure of the footthereon. This action takes place alternately with each step the wearertakes, and the shoe is retained on the foot at all times.

While the preferred form of this invention has been described herein indetail, it will. be understood that changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and it is intended to coversuch changes that come within the scope: of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe comprising a sole and a high heel forming the tread member'anda vamp attached to said tread member and forming the forward portion ofthe upper, said sole having its shank portion extending downwardly fromsaid heel, a relatively stiff structural insole layer and a flexibleelastic cover therefor, said structural layer conforming and afiixed tothe upper surface of said tread member, said elastic cover beingstretched in the heel-totoe direction over the. upper surface of saidstructural layer and having its perimeter secured throughout its lengthto said structural layer, and said elastic cover spanning over the topsurface of said structural layer at the shank portion of said sole.

2. A shoe comprising a sole and ahigh heel forming the tread member ofsaid shoe and a vamp attached to said tread member and forming theforward portion of the shoe upper, said sole having itsshank portionextending downwardly from said heel, an insole comprising a relativelystiffv stmcturallayer and a flexible elastic cover therefor, saidstructural layer conforming and aflEixed to the upper surface of saidtread member, said elastic cover being stretched in the heel-to-toedirection over the upper surface of said structural layer and having anouter margin turned under and'secured to said structural layer, saidelastic cover spanning over the top surface of said structural layer atthe shank portion of said sole, and said elastic cover having sidepanels on each side of said shank extending abruptly downward from saidspanning portion to said structural layer.

3; A ladys shoe comprising an open high heel and sole forming. the treadmember of said shoe, said sole a flexible elastic cover for saidstructural layer, said structural layer conforming and adhered to theupper surface of said tread member, said elastic cover being stretchedin the heel-to-toe direction over the upper surface of said structuralmember and having an outer margin turned under and adhered to the undersurface of said structural member, said elastic cover spanning the shankportion of the top surface of said structural member, said elastic coverhaving side panels extending downwardly from said spanning portion tosaid turned under outer margin, a vamp lasted over said insole, and saidtread member adhered to said insole and lasted vamp.

4. A ladys shoe comprising an open high heel and sole forming the treadmember of the shoe, said sole having a shank portion extendingdownwardly from said heel, an insole comprising a relatively stiifstructural member, a flexible elastic cover for said structural layer,said elastic cover comprising a woven elastic layer and a cushioninglayer adhered thereto, said structural layer conforming and adhered tothe upper surface of said tread member, said elastic cover beingstretched in the heel-to-toe direction over the upper surface of saidstructural layer and having an outer margin turned under and adhered tothe under surface of said structural layer, said elastic cover spanningthe top surface of said structural member over the shank portion of saidsole, said elastic cover having side panels extending downwardly fromsaid spanning portion to said turned under outer margin, and a vamplasted over said insole, and said tread member adhered to said insoleand lasted vamp.

5. An elastic cover for the top surface of a tread member of a high heelshoe having a heel seat, a depressed shank and a ball portion, saidcover comprising an outer margin adapted to be turned inwardly forattachment to said shoe around the outer margin of said top surface ofsaid tread member, an inner portion within said margin conforming to theshape of an insole having a shank portion interposed between a heel seatand a ball portion, side panels on each side of said cover shank portionand interposed between said insole shaped portion and said outer margin,and said insole shaped portion being shorter in the heel-to-toedirection than a straight line extending from the extreme end of theheel to the extreme end of the toe of said top surface of said treadmember, and adapted to be stretched to the length of said line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,811,380 Bernard June 23, 1931 2,422,947 Calderazzo June 24, 19472,465,817 Perugia Mar. 29, 1949 2,533,336 Walsh Dec. 12, 1950

